The present invention relates to a combination sofa and bunk bed wherein the sofa seat can be converted into the bottom bunk of a bunk bed and the sofa back can be pivoted to an upraised horizontal orientation where it will serve as the upper bunk of a bunk bed.
Various combination sofa-bunk beds are known. Most include fairly complex structures and linkages for controlling the movement of the unit that defines either the sofa back or the upper bunk. Also, the support for the upraised upper bunk is relatively complex. Additionally, these combinations often must occupy considerably more floor space when in their bunk bed mode than when in their sofa mode. Further, self-contained storage for objects which might be needed when the bed is opened, as with pillows, is typically not provided. In addition, assembly and disassembly of the sofa-bunk bed combinations is rather complex. Finally, possible separation of the combination into separate upper and lower bunks is not contemplated.
Examples of known sofa-bunk bed combinations having the foregoing problems are now noted.
Griffin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,815, shows a complex linkage for guiding the upper bunk in its movements. Also, the lower bunk is moved as the sofa moves to the bunk bed mode, increasing the floor space occupied by the combination. Similar comments apply to Griffin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,194; Coomes, U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,254; Riches, U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,601; Mills, U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,901; Nyman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,070,813 and Bryks, U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,832; Hagstrom, U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,672. Note also Read, U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,169.
Klingler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,410 shows a seat back which must be unfolded itself before it can serve as an upper bunk. This extra folding operation and the complex structure it requires is preferably to be avoided.
Furthermore, none of these has self-contained storage for objects, which is hidden when the sofa-bunk bed combination is in the sofa mode.